Search form

The Wire

Las Vegas Hair & Nail Conference a Huge Success

There was something for everyone at this year's Las Vegas Hair & Nail Conference: stellar MainStage hair presentations, business-building sessions, cutting-edge hair and nail workshops, and exciting hair and nail competitions. More than 14,000 beauty pros turned out for the IBS New York- and American Salon-sponsored event, which was staged at the Las Vegas Convention Center in June.

CLOCKWISE, FROM LEFT: Business was brisk at the DreamCatchers by Paris Hilton booth; it was standing-room only at the Cirque du Soleil presentation; the Las Vegas Hair & Nail Conference featured an expanded show floor; Martin Parsons created elegant updos during his MainStage presentation; beauty pros packed the show floor and the MainStage presentations.

Business was brisk on the show floor, where attendees got the chance to shop, network and receive in-booth education, which was offered by some of the more than 300-plus exhibiting companies, including American Crew, Conair, Creative Nail Design, OPI and Rusk. Meanwhile, there was nonstop action in classrooms, where topics ranging from custom-blended manicures, nail art, hot-stone manicures and pedicures and hand-renewal treatments were covered. Classes were also taught in making money with hair extensions, marketing to men, long hair design techniques and The Karg Dry Hair Cut.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP RIGHT: A swept-back updo created by Martin Parsons was a huge hit with the crowd; celebrity haircolorist Kim Vo struck a pose with some of his fans; beauty pros experimented with DreamCatchers by Paris Hilton hair extensions; a finished look from Zumanity, a show by Cirque du Soleil; a colorful performer from the Zumanity MainStage presentation; Rusk models strutted their stuff on the MainStage catwalk.

The MainStage theater presentations, where haute hair trends got top billing, were also popular. Headliners included celebrity hue guru Kim Vo, who demonstrated a number of color techniques designed to add dimension to hair; Martin Parsons, who shined a spotlight on fabulous finishes and updo styling; and Jamie Carroll, whose elegant looks were a big hit with the crowd. Also appearing were Sandra Yu and the Rusk Design Force Team, who inspired the crowd with their segment featuring the Rusk cutting system, and the makeup and styling team of Kathleen Price and Roger J Stricker, who recreated some of the magnificent looks they create for Zumanity, a cabaret-style show from Cirque du Soleil.

FROM LEFT: Hair-raising model's at the White Sands booth; Jamie Carroll worked his magic on a models hair; MainStage presenter Martin Parsons crafted one of his signature updos.

Las Vegas Hair & Nail attendees were also granted free admission to the largest spa show in the country, the International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Conference (IECSC). More than 650 exhibiting companies were on hand with products running the gamut from aromatherapy, cosmetics and facial treatments to laser, spa, medical spa and microdermabrasion equipment and skincare products.

Click Here for image and caption

"I want to say a big thank you to all participants who helped make this year's event such an incredible success," said Dana Lupton, group show director for Questex Media Group. "This show's moniker will change to IBS Las Vegas in 2008, and it's only going to get bigger and better. Our goal is to produce the largest, most exciting and greatest educational beauty show in Las Vegas."

Click here for image and caption.

Aveda Hosts a Dialogue for the Future

Aveda is a global company on many different levels. Not only does the company sell its products worldwide, it also sources ingredients from many different regions, often through partnerships it has established with tribal and indigenous groups. Aveda does, however, make every effort to ensure that its sourcing is not destructive and that it also helps lift its indigenous partners out of poverty. Recently, the corporation partnered with similar-minded organizations to hold a forum at the United Nations headquarters in New York City to discuss the opportunities and challenges that exist in these types of partnerships. The panel included Dominique Conseil, president of Aveda, and indigenous leaders from Australia, Mexico, Brazil and Kenya. "At Aveda, we can change the world by changing the way the world does business," says Conseil, whose work ethic is based upon a philosophy that espouses the synergy between economic and environmental goals. "Community-based initiatives are the key to sustainable business development, which grows from the harmony of community, business and culture," he says.

Click here for image and caption

Redken Launches Innovative Campaign to Promote Urban Experiment

To promote its new brand Urban Experiment, Redken partnered with Flavorpill, a New York-based online publisher that keeps trendsetting city dwellers in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and London up to date on the coolest cultural happenings in their city. Because Urban Experiment and Flavorpill are both lifestyle brands, geared toward creative, urban indie types, the partnership seemed like an ideal one. "The Urban Experiment user is hard to define in terms of a demographic; we know them in terms of their lifestyle," says Molly Mansur, Redken's senior director of interactive marketing. "Flavorpill's diverse audience is a natural fit. They are people who are living an urban and underground lifestyle."

Urbanexperiment.com launched in July. Web episodes from the Flavorpill contest sponsored by Urban Experiment will air on the Web site beginning August 1st.

Urban Experiment was one of the sponsors of Flavorpill's Fair Trade Concert in Los Angeles, a concert with 100 percent of the suggested donations for entry going to help build wells in Africa. Similar events will take place in other cities as well. Urban Experiment is also sponsoring a Flavorpill contest where two winners each from New York City, Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago will be picked and sent to small rural towns for three days to experience the culture there for a series of Web episodes called "Out of Town." At the start and finish of each episode (each takes place in the different small towns and stars the separate pairs of winners), the winners will be shown using Urban Experiment products. Salon promotions will support the videos, which will air on outoftown.tv and also on urbanexperiment.com beginning this month.

Joico Sponsors Wango Tango Concert

Joico professionals were on hand at the KIIS FM Wango Tango concert in Southern California to hand out samples to Wango Tango performers, VIPs and concert-goers. Celebrities like Enrique Iglesias, Ian Ziering and Shar Jackson visited the booth and scored some great Joico products. Females received samples of the new K-PAK Sun Therapy line, which includes the Nourishing Shampoo, Treatment Masque and Protective Sun Milk, while the guys got JoiGel Firm, JoiShape Hairspray and Crème Wax. Joico entertained the attendees with the ICE Spin and Win Wheel game, which contestants played for a chance to win cool prizes, including an ICE Spiker mini locker, a $200 ICE Stylist Kit filled with ICE hair products and a $40 Stylist Bag filled with ICE favorites.

American Crew Honors the American Male

American Crew plans to honor the American male on August 17th , a day it's proclaimed National Men's Grooming Day. The campaign serves as an opportunity for salons and barbershops to host grooming events and create awareness of their dedication to male clients. As the sponsor of the campaign, American Crew will provide salons with downloadable artwork for counter cards, advertising and event ideas and invitation templates on its Web site. The company will also run advertisements to generate awareness of the day, including 10-second spots on the Times Square Jumbotron and product giveaways outside New York City's Grand Central Station. americancrew.com

American Crew plans to honor American males.

Vavoom Gold Heat Honors Hollywood's Hottest

Vavoom Gold Heat recently teamed up with US Weekly to roll out the "gold" carpet to honor Hollywood's top talent at the annual Hot Hollywood awards. This year's honorees included such celebrity standouts as Jennifer Lopez, Lindsay Lohan, Ashlee Simpson and Ryan Seacrest. Many of the honorees in attendance received touch-ups at the Vavoom Gold Heat Styling Station before posing for portraits with US Weekly editors.

Click here for image and caption

Matrix had its own stars in the house as well. Tiffany Parres, a stylist from J Beverly Hills salon, and Nicole Schmidt, key stylist from Giuseppe Franco in Beverly Hills, were a few members of the Matrix team who hung out in the Vavoom VIP area and checked out the Gold Heat Go-Go Dancers. All 500 guests went home with a slew of Gold Heat products.

Sport Clips Holds National Huddle

Sport Clips, a haircare company for men and boys, recently held its National Huddle at the Las Vegas Rio hotel. About 1,000 team members attended the meeting, which featured the company's 400th store opening; a demonstration by Guinness World Record Breaker for Fastest Haircutting, Ivan Zoot; and guest speakers John Paul DeJoria, CEO of John Paul Mitchell Systems, and John DiJulius, author and lecturer on the topic of customer service.

Joico and ISO Educate Hair Pros

Created to build confidence and creativity among hair professionals, the AMP'd, the Artistic and Motivational Platform Tour, program provides stylists with the tools they need to improve their personal and professional lives. It features demonstrations and step-by-step instructions on creating the season's hottest hair shapes, textures and color designs. The program also presents the latest Joico and ISO hair collections and information on how to emulate the newest looks, as well as career inspiration. "There are many programs that help stylists learn how to open a salon or run a business," says Daniel Salce, a national corporate trainer for Joico and ISO. "But to accomplish anything, you have to first be happy and confident. This program demonstrates that each person has a purpose and shows people how to go beyond their circumstances, even if they are difficult, to become the person they're truly supposed to be."

Joico/ISO National Corporate Trainer Daniel Salce is the main architect of AMP'd.

Paul Mitchell The School Raises Money for AIDS

Seventeen cyclists from Paul Mitchell The School in Costa Mesa, CA, participated in the AIDS/LifeCycle bike ride, a seven-day, 600-mile event. The event raised more than $11 million for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center to provide HIV/AIDS services and education, as well as increase awareness and knowledge about HIV/AIDS. "Our Team Paul Mitchell The School is truly inspiring, and I am humbled by their perseverance and strength," says Winn Claybaugh, dean of Paul Mitchell Schools.

Team Paul Mitchell The School at the 2007 AIDS ride.

Oster's David Guerin Shines in Russia

Oster Global Artistic Director David Guerin recently participated in the Ideal Beauty Show in St. Petersburg, Russia. More than 35,000 hairdressers attended the show to watch demonstrations, learn new hair procedures and techniques and discover Oster tools. "I'm amazed by how much the industry in Russia accepts and craves not just information about our Oster tools, but also fresh skills," says Guerin. "It isn't easy for these hairdressers to be able to purchase our products because of the expense compared to what they can charge for their services, but because of the impact we made, it convinced them to spend their hard-earned money on our tools."

Russian fans wait in line for an autograph from Oster's David Guerin.

FHI Partners with Pink-Link

FHI Heat announced a partnership with Pink-Link, a nonprofit organization that helps women and families affected by breast cancer by providing a forum for them to connect with others, as well as online support in the areas of nutrition, fitness, holistic health care and skincare. FHI plans to donate one dollar from every sale of its FHI Heat Nano Weight Pro 1800 blow dryer and the FHI Heat Technique Styling Iron to Pink-Link for one year starting this month.

FHI will donate a portion of sales of its Nano Weight Pro 1800 blow dryer and Heat Technique styling irons to pink-link.org for one year.

Dermalogica Goes to London

Dermalogica recently opened a concept store in the Kensington neighborhood of London. Aside from professional skin analyses, interactive educational events and free samples, the store will also feature the brand's signature Face Mapping service, which is a thorough examination of the skin, and a Skin Bar, which is a product-sampling area. "The concept store environment allows the brand to express these concepts with total clarity, purity and control, which is why we are all so passionate about this newest location," says Jane Wurwand, founder of Dermalogica.

FROM TOP: Patrons can purchase Dermalogica products in the store's retail area; At the Skin Bar, they can sample the products before making a purchase.

Fantastic Sams Expands in the U.S.

Fantastic Sams recently announced its plans to expand in the United States by opening more than 130 new locations in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas and Houston. Each location will create new jobs and provide area residents with full-service haircare and professional salon products. "We are excited to be expanding in markets where research has shown consumers will return time and time again to enjoy the superior haircare our salon guests have come to appreciate and expect," says Jeff Sturgis, certified franchise executive and vice president of franchise sales and development.

FROM TOP: Fantastic Sams plans to add more than 130 locations in the U.S.; The full-service hair salon offers customers top-notch haircare and salon products.

An Interview with a Beauty Industry Icon

For the Masters April 2007 Audio Club, Winn Claybaugh, dean and co-founder of Paul Mitchell Schools, sat down with Lydia Sarfati, president and founder of Sarkli-Repêchage, Ltd. Claybaugh and Sarfati discussed various aspects of her life and business for the monthly audio program, which features interviews, success secrets and business-building presentations by leaders in and out of the beauty industry. Sarfati said she bases her company on her belief that everyone gets a second chance. Repêchage, in fact, means "a second chance." She also discusses the success and impact of her book, Success at Your Fingertips, and her unique Spa de Beauté Concept salon program, through which she has achieved great success with her clients. Visit mastersaudioclub.com to learn more about the interview and to subscribe to the Masters program.

Lydia Sarfati And Winn Claybaugh

WHAT'S NEW

Guinot Update

For the first time in its history, GUINOT has updated its Hydradermie galvanic current facial technology, using the latest scientific research from its own world-renowned labs.

Global Summit

Spa executives from 24 countries attended the first ever GLOBAL SPA SUMMIT in New York City. An attendee survey revealed that the biggest challenge facing the spa industry today is a lack of high-quality trained labor.

Grand Opening

BIOELEMENTS held grand-opening events, which included demonstrations of its Flaxx-C Anti-Aging Facial, to celebrate the opening of its new Learning Centers in Chicago, Villa Park, IL, and Overland Park, KS.

A technician demonstrates the facial.

Show Off

CREATIVE NAIL DESIGN's Lulu Cooper created a splash of color on models' nails for the Luca Luca Resort Collection show. She mixed Hot Pop Orange with Air Dry topcoat to make a sheer tangerine hue.

Glazed Over

R&B singer Rihanna wore CHINA GLAZE Coconut Kisses on her fingers and toes at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards in Los Angeles. The color is a shimmery jewel-tone shade of purple.

Web Surf

PHYTOSPECIFIC relaunched phytospecific.com, providing a simplified way to find brand history, products, and contact and press information, and also explore Phyto Universe, the treatment and training center.

Smooth Landing

Eye Do

TWEEZERMAN's After Tweeze Soothing Cream won the prestigious Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) award in the Facial Skincare Category for the Best Eye Treatment-Under $20.

Pageant Perfect

For the third year in a row, FAROUK SYSTEMS sponsored the Miss Universe Pageant, providing products, styling tools and hairstylists for all of the delegates, celebrity judges and on-air hosts in Mexico City.

The Farouk team with the new Miss Universe, Riyo Mori from Japan

Recall Notice

SILHOUET-TONE issued a voluntary recall of all MultiPil Wax Warmers due to a fire and shock hazard. Customers are advised to stop using the product immediately and call 800/552-0418, extension 0.

TIGI Wins

At the recent behindthechair.com Stylist Choice Awards, TIGI BED HEAD won Favorite New Styling Product for its Hook-Up Mousse Wax and Favorite New Product for the Manipulator, as well as Favorite Makeup Line.

Pamper Away

Singita Private Game Reserve in the Sabi Sands in South Africa now offers guests DERMALOGICA skincare and haircare as in-room amenities, including the cult-favorite Multi-Vitamin Power Firm.

Guests staying at Singita Game Reserve enjoy Dermalogica products.

Garden Party

OLIVIA GARDEN recently hit the celebrity circuit, participating in two star-studded events, Entertainment Weekly's Upfront fall television preview party and the MTV Movie Awards in Hollywood.

Meeting of Minds

The PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY ASSOCIATION presented its Annual Business Forum during Cosmoprof North America. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and a Silicon Valley icon, was the keynote speaker.

Fall Promos

For fall, OPI has all its must-have nail accessories included in its retail promotions, available in colorful prepack trays designed to fit into the OPI promo center rack or be displayed throughout the salon.

Copper Comeback

Taking inspiration from designers like Stella McCartney and Louis Vuitton, who both helped make copper the hot metallic trend for fall, JANE IREDALE's new Copper Liquid Eye Liner is this season's got-to-have-it makeup.

Joico Genius

JOICO Artistic Team member Anthony Morrison was the winner of Bravo's hit show Shear Genius. Pitted against 11 other hair pros, Morrison competed in a set of challenges to nab the top spot.

Anthony Morrison

Wheel To Live

VICHY Laboratories is hosting more than 75 mobile Healthy Skin Check-Up Centers in the parking lots of retail partners across the U.S. this fall to educate the public about the importance of skin health.

Makeup Lesson

Makeup artists Anne DeMarco and Charles Douglas recently opened the luxurious ROUGE MAKEUP STUDIO in Manhattan, and they are hosting workshops for makeup professionals. rougemakeupstudio.com

Title Change

DIEGO RAVIGLIONE, former Graham Webb international corporate artistic trainer, is now artistic director for three San Diego beauty academies: Je Boutique, Bay Vista and Poway Academy.

New Import

Tokyo-based prestige beauty brand POLA has expanded to the U.S. with the opening of its Pola Kirei skincare salon in Beverly Hills. Plans for 10 additional U.S. locations are in the works.

The New Pola Kirei Skincare Salon in Beverly Hills.

Color Temptation

Indulge your brunette clients with MATRIX's Chocolate Cherry Collection, new in salons this month. It's the first SoColor and Color Sync collection developed specifically to enhance the natural tone of brunettes.

Style Session

ISO Artistic Creative Team member Eric Mayes recently treated top New York editors to one-on-one styling sessions, during which he revealed the secrets to fabulous texture: curl, color, cut and style.